CORNISH GAMES.
Many old games worth recording are still played by Cornish children, out of doors in summer, indoors in winter, and at their numerous school-treats. To those common elsewhere, other names in Cornwall are often given, and different words sung. Some, wellknown thirty-five years ago, now (1886) live only in the memory of those who were children then, or linger in a very fragmentary state in some remote country districts. Such as—
"Here comes three dukes a-riding."
To play this the children were divided into two parties. In the first were only the three dukes: in the second the other players, who stood in a long line, linked hand- in-hand, facing them, the mother in the middle with her daughters ranged according to size on each side of her. One duke was chosen as spokesman, and he began the following dialogue, which was sung; the party singing advanced and retreated, whilst the other stood still:—
|"Here comes three dukes a-riding, a-riding,
Here comes three dukes a-riding, to court your daughter Jane."
"My daughter Jane is yet too young
To bear your silly, flattering tongue."
"Be she young or be she old,
She for her beauty must and shall be sold.
So fare thee well, my lady gay,
"We'll take our horse and ride away,
And call again another day."
"Come back, come back I you Spanish knight,
And clean your spurs, they are not bright."
"My spurs are bright as 'rickety-rock' (and richly wrought),
And in this town they were not bought,
And in this town they shan't be sold,
Neither for silver, copper, nor gold.
So fare thee well," &c.
"Come back! come back! you Spanish Jack (or coxcomb)."
